Movies: Past, present and future

'Twilight' producer: 'Breaking Dawn' could begin shooting this fall

January 10, 2010 | 6:00pm

It's been one of the biggest questions surrounding Summit Entertainment's uber-successful "Twilight" franchise (apart, of course, from whether stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson really are a couple off-screen) -- just how the producers are going to manage to pull off a big-screen adaptation of "Breaking Dawn." The fourth book in Stephenie Meyer's juggernaut of a young adult fiction series about the epic love affair between high school student Bella Swan and her good-guy vampire beau Edward Cullen has plenty of heft, clocking in at upward of 750 pages, but it also has the distinction of being the most controversial entry in the saga.

When it was released in August 2008, fan reaction was intense and divided with some "Twi-hards" expressing confusion and dismay over a plot that involved *SPOILER ALERT* a recently graduated 19-year-old Bella giving birth to a half-human/half-vamp daughter named Renesmee, who grows much faster than the average mortal child and who possesses a unique way of communicating with those around her, clearly inherited from Dad's side of the family.

Wyck Godfrey, the producer of all the films in the "Twilight" saga, admits that the creative team still doesn't know how they'll handle the character in the "Breaking Dawn" movie, but said that the plan is absolutely for the production to go forward -- as either one or two installments -- with an eye toward beginning to shoot in Vancouver this fall. All three stars are signed for "Breaking Dawn," he said, meaning that Stewart and Pattinson will be dealing with the joys and woes of interspecies parenting and newly minted heartthrob Taylor Lautner will return as often-shirtless shape-shifter Jacob Black.

At the moment, screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, who's penned all the "Twilight" movies, is working on the "Breaking Dawn" script(s). "It's a work in process," Godfrey said in an interview Friday. "The issue [of whether there will be one or two movies] is not going to be resolved until we get the full treatment and see whether it's organic. If it's not organic, I don't think it will be done, and if it is, it will be. It really has to do with how much level of detail from the books there is, with all of these new vampires that appear in 'Breaking Dawn,' the whole section about Jacob... It's a very long single movie if it does become a single movie."

Although there's been a great deal of online chatter about whether Chris Weitz, director of the second and most recent movie, "New Moon," would return to helm "Breaking Dawn," Godfrey downplayed that possibility, saying, "I think everyone would be happy and excited if he came back, but I don't think it's going to happen."

He and the other principals are formulating a list of potential directors, "but right now," Godfrey said, "we're just focused on the treatment and getting that right. At that point, we're going to see who's available and who's appropriate. It's such a complicated book because you have the emotions and the intensity of the love story -- so you need somebody who's just a wonderful director of actors -- and yet it's really complicated from an action and visual effects standpoint. They've got to have both tools in their kit."

A visual effects background might be particularly helpful when it comes to dealing with the character of Renesmee.

"I keep having visions of '[The Curious Case of] Benjamin Button' in my head," Godfrey said, referring to David Fincher's Oscar-nominated 2008 fantasy about a man who becomes physically younger as he ages. "It's certainly going to be visual effects in some capacity along with an actor. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being a full CG creation, but it also may be a human shot on a soundstage that then is used to shrink down. I don't know. We need a director. When we get a director, that director will need to come with a point of view of how they want to tackle it."

The third movie in the series, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse," is due in theaters June 30.

I think that Renesmee should be crated like the Na'vi people in Avatar. That was a great movie and i really thought that they were real! although it would take ALOT longer to make it like this, it is the last one and it would be worth the wait in my opinion.

lol Dave H. Everyone isn't exactly proving otherwise on the sterotype of Twilight fans by misspelling every single word in your haste to blow a gasket over this. Chill out, you'll be lucky if you get a Breaking Dawn movie at all.

I think that rob is clever and has a unique and delightful sense of humor. I'm interested in seeing his range of acting ability. Regardless he's beautiful perhaps too much so for the good of his career. That's enough of BS. Hot guy. Enough said. Dear Rob try not to be so cute. You actually seem great enough for a sensible person to be ridiculous enough to write this email. I'd like a breatalizer on my iPhone.

Kristen you are lovely. Your character is strong in braking dawn. You've got a lot of range to cover but you've played Bella so perfectly that I believe you cam grow with her as she clearly does in the book . Can't wait to see what the filmakers do w the book. Stay cool. Again you seem as solid as you've described other older actresses. Get me a breatalizer on this phone!

Interesting fact my bday is April 9. I don't think we could b less alike w the exception that I say exactly what's on my mind. I don't filter. I think I'm kind others are kind of scared of me. I don't get challenged often!

To create an amazing version of Breaking Dawn for the screen, the following should be done:

#1 Fire Melissa Rosenberg - This woman has done nothing but butcher the story and words that all Twilight fans fell in love with. She has reduced Edward to a blathering boob and, let's face it, Bella seems like a lesbian. After seeing her work on Twilight and New Moon, I can say with confdence that she was hired for the price and not the experience.

#2 Split the movie in two - There are little things that the fans love in Breaking Dawn. We don't want to see a 15 minute musical montage of a honeymoon on Isle Esme, we want to full thing. We don't need to see sex, but we want to see what leads up to it. Have the first part be about the wedding, Isle Esme, the pregnanacy, and the birth. Have the second one be about Bella as a vampire and the Volturi.

#3 Don't screw up with Renesmee! - You know she's only seen as an infant for a handfull of times. When she's born and when Rosalie is feeding her. When Bella first sees Renesmee, she's much bigger. You don't have to do all this Benjamin Button b.s. to get it right.

#4 Aim this movie towards an older audience - According to Stephenie Meyer herself, Breaking Dawn is much more mature than Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. Therefore, it should be handled with a mature audience in mind. I'm not saying you should make it raunchy or give it an R rating. But I don't think you should cut out all the mature scenes. I wouldn't mind seeing a graphic version of Renesmee's birth.

#5 STOP CHANGING THE DIALOGUE! The script for New Moon was terrible and I'm pretty sure Eclispe is going to be just as bad.

Right. What is it with all the negative comments?, no offence buts its pathetic!
I agree they should have loads of E/B moments because well they just need them!
But what’s with the change of director and stuff that’s like RUBBISH if they do that.
Personally I think for breaking dawn they should go back to the same place/location that they did the FIRST film"Twilight"; it just would make a good finish! I can’t wait to see how they do all this imprinting with jacob and the baby(it will be funny!) and things and all this with Bella and the lass? Renesmee?. I really hope they go ahead with it and i actually hope they put it to TWO films so they have lots of detail. Soo... PLEASEEE uses a real child for Renesmee, and no crappy animated Film. If they do, do this animated thing it would either me really bad or really good. So DONT risk it, it needs to be done with care! As long as they take time it will look GREAT! Don’t Worry about All This Thing with Summit, they made it look good for everything else so lets give them a chance, Please?. And HOPE they pull it off! Good Luck (and please Do BREAKING DAWN!) and all the half breed baby! I'll Be WATCHINGG! :)

I have read Breaking Dawn several times, I have also read most of the comments made. I think that Peter Jackson has the history and imagination to be able to pull off such a movie, however, I can't see it being 1 movie - there's just too much detail that needs attention. If, if they're going to tell the story, let it be the whole story in 2 segments that gives the book the dignity it deserves, to do anything less would be a disappointment. Everyone can visualise the characters, plot and story as it is told in the book, the book is organic and that is why they need someone who is conducive to translate the book into celluloid. It is not a small task, however, it is essential to have the whole cast without replacements, as these are the faces that the audience already knows and considering this is the final installment, this is the movie they should allow a huge budget for, as it is the last of the legacy of the Twilight series. I wonder who actually reads these comments? And, do they make any difference in the decision making process?

Agree 100% with the posters here about Reneesme. DON'T MAKE HER CGI!! Go Rosemary's Baby on this - trust us! Less is more. Little glimpses of a pretty child - suggestions of her "abilities" with dialogue - not a pixilated circus freak flipping through the air and taking down elk. The fans balked at Reneesme in the book, and it will be OK to downplay her role in the movie - ESPECIALLY if it makes more room for E/B to develop. Bad enough with a bunch of CGI wolves running around. No matter how good the effects are, it still breaks the suspension of disbelief (which is already a bit tough in a vampire movie - don't make it harder).

New Moon failed for fans in the moments where the scope of the film widened so far that the intimacy dropped away. We know that is still a danger in Eclipse and it will be an even bigger issue with Breaking Dawn. Keep it close range. That's why Twilight worked, and that's what we missed with New Moon. Even if Eclipse does the same thing, you can rein it in for the last film(s).

i agree with jane! we DON'T want rushed scenes!!!!! i was disappointed with NEW MOON. Twilight was better! I hope Chris Weitz does not direct BREAKING DAWN. And Melissa Rosenburg needs to do a better job! at bringing the BOOKS to life. I hope she did a better job with Eclipse!

Twilight is a great movie if you first read the book if you dontread twilight you wont get what the movies talking about.New moon was prfect their was the cheesy parts I did not like.Like Bella and Edward and Bella sparkling in the forest and Jacob and Edward's shirts blowing in the air as they walked but that was all I did not like.But my favorite was the Jake tansforming into a werewolf.It was a great movie. And Im totally a Jacob fan;)

I JUST WANT A MOVIE THAT CAN GO ALONG WITH THE BOOK!!! i can understand why the first coudn't because of Budget reasons, but NEW MOON HAD NO EXCUSE! if ECLIPSE DOESN'T GO RIGHT ALONG WITH THE BOOK MANY FANS (including me, it is my FAVORITE BOOK FROM THIS SERIES) WILL BE UPSET LIKE I WAS WITH NEW MOON. I DO believe the scenes were way too rushed not one fan would have minded at all if the movie were 3-4 hrs long to get the WHOLE story across! PLEASE DIRECTORS MAKE THE ECLIPSE AND BREAKING DAWN RIGHT!

ok....so i am super excited that they gave Breaking Dawn the greenlight...but im super scared to see it...make sense? well im afraid because i dont think that they will be able to capture EVERYTHING in the book to make the movie...example the love scenes the pregnancy and the birthing scene...the hunting scenes when bella becomes the vampire...i know that alot of the fans are young adults...but breaking dawn is very graphic...very visual....i dont know how its going to be made while keeping a PG or PG13 rating...and i dont know of any director that would be able to capture the love and violence this movie entails....i watched Pirates of the Carrabian at worlds end (sorry for the spelling) and i think that Gore Verbinski and his crew did a fabulous job making that movie with the love and fight scenes....i would like to see him do breaking dawn...too bad summit folks dont read these things...and try to give the fans what they are asking for....

OMG You people are horrible....... How could you even talk about cutting anything from Reneemse or from Jacob. Think of everything you would be missing from the story if she hadn't given you Jacobs eyes to look through.

FYI If you hadn't looked at the deleted scenes, the screenplay was written very nicely. However the directors have chosen to cut parts out due to length.

I really hope Reneesme will be a real child. Hell if they can have a real baby for etrade, why not a real one for the Twilight movies!

You guys really need to think about what you are saying before you say it. Someday in the not so distant future most of us would like more books from Stephanie Meyers... Think of what she would say if she read any of your ignorance!

they should make 2 movies however, there should be a directors cut(r) rated. due to the sex and blood scenes and a (pg13) version for the younger audience. look, the scenes were in the book but less graphic when you are not looking at them in film in front of you. but, for myself ( the oldeer demographic) it would be great to see the actual intensity of their love and the subsequent birth of their daughter. the delivery of renessmee is a major part of the book, to make the impact smaller on screen would be a travesty. also, my favorite quote of the entire series is in this book. "goodbye jacob, my brother, my son" tears. lol

I have amazing talent!I love to act,and I'm great at it to.I'm a great singer also.
I would love to be in "Breaking Dawn". But I don't know how to do it.
I love twilight and everyone in it!!!!
I have seen every movie they have ever acted in!
But I would love to be able to hang-out with them!!
I

I am looking forward to this book most of all i don't think it should be rushed, there is alot going on in this book. I think as far as the love making issue parents that let there kids read the book should not be suprised when the movie comes out, i want as i am sure all of the fans went that to stay true to the book. It was a very magor part in Edward & Bella's relationship.I think that if they change that part to much it will loose it's meaning. Edward has always wanted Bella to have her human experiances the sex was the only thing she has ever really worried about being differant. So my point in all of this is that u are making Breaking Dawn into two movies & in my oppinion the end is the most important part aside from the begning the middle is extra good stuff but extra. The begining starts it the end gives it closer, if u take away from that why bother making it into two movies. So on behalf of all the fans PLEASE don't take out the good stuff do this book a good justice make it true to the book. I am sure that Stephanie is proud of the movies but to end them with a bang an awsome job within two movies to put her heatr & soul out there for all to see. Put the rest of them to shame in a way make it the best movie out there make me laugh, make me cry, put me on the edge of me seat the way the book did have the same affect the book did for Stephanie's fans. So again i say make her & us (the fans) happier then ever Stephanie gave u good material to work with give it bake to us all. Sincerly Frances Stromberg P.S. If anyone would like to comment on this please feel free to email me or i am on facebook thanks for reading Twilight forever

2 movies ? for 1 book, one would think they have made enough movie on the first 3 to give the 4th book the right send off and not split it into 2 movies, the fans did not buy 2 breaking dawn books they bought 1 . Get it right do the book justice but for heavens sake 1 movie and who says it cant be 3 hours long

i agree about the wigs they look horrible i understand that nikkis hair was falling out because of the bleach but the wig was bad. As far as the acting goes i think everyone is doing great. And if you dont like it dont watch the movies. and you have to have renesmme because the story is mostly about her. I would love for the movie to hurry and come out but at the same time i want it to be as beautiful as the story so i know that will take some time to do.